PAA National Board

Transcript

1 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SEPTEMBER PAA National Board Παγκρητική Ένωση Αμερικής Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο

2 HOLIDAY ISSUE 2015 Support the magazine and share your best wishes with all your PAA Friends & Family! To place an ad online, please access the form and credit card instructions at: http//: INSTRUCTIONS: For special pricing, ads must be in no later than November 10, Ads at the regular pricing are due by November 30, Please visit the PAA website or scan and this form to Contact your District Governor or Christmas Issue Chairperson Katherine Katsounakis at FULL NAME: PAA CHAPTER: ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: ZIP: PHONE: FORM OF PAYMENT: [ ] CREDIT CARD ONLINE [ ] CHECK ENCLOSED, CHECK NUMBER: PLEASE SELECT: [ ] PAA BOARD OR CHAPTER [ ] INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY [ ] PROFESSIONAL OR BUSINESS Please type or print your message and submit a photo. Photos should be at least 4 x6, at 300 dpi and in JPEG format. photos along with the sponsor s information to KH2015@pancretan.org. We prefer information to be sent via . When not possible, photos, forms & checks may be mailed to Katherine Katsounakis at the address below. HOLIDAY EDITION DONATION [ ] $250 FULL PAGE* *BY November 10 [ ] $300 FULL PAGE* *After November 10 [ ] $200 HALF PAGE [ ] $150 QUARTER PAGE [ ] $25 SNOWFLAKE (name) [ ] $1,000 INSIDE COVER PAYMENT INFORMATION ONLINE: OR MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA MAIL CHECK AND/OR FORM TO: KATHERINE KATSOUNAKIS 155 OLD LYMAN ROAD CHICOPEE, MA The Pancretan Association of America, Inc. (PAA) is a 501(c)8 non-profit fraternal organization. Your donation to the 2015 PAA KPHTH Holiday issue supports the continual mission and programs of the organization. Your donation may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the IRS. Seek the guidance of your accountant or a professional financial advisor regarding tax questions.

3 1 2 PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA HEADQUARTERS: St Street, Astoria, NY ΣΥΝΤΕΛΕΣΤΈΣ 3 1. MIA BOUTZOUKAS Mia served as the PAA Scholarship Chair from She and her family are active members of their local chapter, KPHTH of Clearwater, Florida. She is married to District 7 Governor James Boutzoukas. They have three children, Maria, Joanna and Manoli, all of whom are active members of the PYA. 2. KOSTAS KATSOHIRAKIS Kostas was the PAA 2015 National Convention Chairman, which was just held in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was PAA District 5 Governor from , and has been a 35+ year member of the Minos Chapter. He and his wife Georgia and have three children: Andrew, Steven and Elena. Kostas is an Intel Vice President for software mergers and acquisitions. 3. GEORGIA TSISMENAKIS, ESQ.,CPA Georgia is a proud Cretan, born and raised in New York. Her parents, Stella (nee Kapassakis) and Artemios Tsismenakis immigrated separately from Xania in the 1950 s. They met at the Cretan Syllogo in New York and later married. Their hard work, dedication and commitment to the Cretan culture and education and ethic are evident in who Georgia is today. Georgia has a bachelor s degree in accounting, an MBA in taxation, is a CPA, a practicing real estate broker and property manager, and an attorney practicing in New York, specializing in estates/probate, commercial real estate and tax. 4. CHRYSOULA TZORTZAKI Chrysoula, a freelance consultant, has a BS in political science and an MS in political analysis. She has worked as special advisor to the mayor of Malia on policy and cultural affairs, media and public relations. She writes articles on issues concerning politics, culture and Cretan tradition. She is a volunteer in the World Council of Cretans and was member of WCC s convention organizing committee in She is a specialist and researcher on the history and nature of Cretan culture and traditions. 4 OFFICERS OF THE PAA NATIONAL PRESIDENT: PANAGIOTIS PSARAKIS Tel. (908) Takisps@verizon.net FIRST VICE PRESIDENT: STAVROS ANTONAKAKIS Tel. (609) stavros@kphth.org SECOND VICE PRESIDENT: KOSTAS TSISKAKIS Tel. (917) Ktsiskos@aol.com THIRD VICE PRESIDENT: XANTHIPPI GELASAKIS Tel. (916) xansdesigns@gmail.com GENERAL SECRETARY: ERASMIA NOVOTNY Tel. (248) erasmia@aol.com SEND PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION RELATED CORRESPONDENCE TO: 8530 Sharon Drive, White Mountain, MI TREASURER: JAMES SAKLAS Tel. (410) saklaspaa@gmail.com WOMEN S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: ROXANNE KOSTON Tel. (650) roxannekoston01@hotmail.com GENERAL SUPERVISOR: ELEFTHERIOS DRAMITINOS Tel. (714) terry4biz@yahoo.com LEGAL ADVISOR: JOHN VOMVOLAKIS, ESQ. Tel. (914) vomv@aol.com AUDITOR GENERAL: GEORGIA TSISMENAKIS, ESQ. Tel. (917) georgiasesame@gmail.com PYA PRESIDENT: CHRISTOS MARKAKIS Tel. (416) christos.markakis@icloud.com YOUTH SUPERVISOR EAST COAST: GEORGE MARNELAKIS Tel. (203) gmarnelos@me.com YOUTH SUPERVISOR WEST COAST: GEORGE TSOUTSOUNAKIS (801) gtsouts@gmail.com PAA DISTRICT GOVERNORS District 1: KOSTA PITARIDIS Tel. (413) Kpitaridis@aol.com District 2: MARIA STRATOUDAKIS Tel. (718) mournies@hotmail.com District 3: MARIA VAMVAKIS Tel. (330) mvamvakis@yahoo.com District 4: JOHN MARAKIS Tel. (586) yannako@gmail.com District 5: ANTHONY KOUNALIS Tel. (303) tonykounalis@aol.com District 6: VASILIS FOURAKIS Tel. (415) vfourakis@aol.com District 7: IAKOVOS BOUTZOUKAS Tel. (727) anomeros1944@gmail.com PAA CHAIRS INVESTMENT CHAIR: JOHN RUSSON Tel. (636) johnrusson@yahoo.com PAA FOUNDATION, INC.: THEODORE MANOUSAKIS Tel. (202) tmanousakis@comcast.net CULTURE & EDUCATION: HARALAMBOS BOB MARKAKIS Tel. (905) bob.markakis@outlook.com PHILANTHROPIC FUND: REMA MANOUSAKIS Tel. (202) rtmanousakis@comcast.net SCHOLARSHIP FUND: DEBBIE NIKOKAVOURAS Tel. (312) debbien1747@gmail.com INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: GEORGE E. VOMVOLAKIS Tel. (404) gvomvolakis67@gmail.com PANCRETAN ENDOWMENT FUND: GEORGE PAPADANTONAKIS Tel. (312) geoapap@yahoo.com STRATEGIC PLANNING: HELEN RANNEY Tel. (248) Eleni49R@aol.com CRETAN ALUMNI NETWORK (CAN): STACY MARAKIS Tel. (312) smarakis@outlook.com PAA CRETE REPRESENTATIVE: AMALIA KALOGRIDAKI Tel paa.representative.greece@gmail.com Monthly submissions should be sent no later than the 5th of each month for publication in the next month s issue. For advertising opportunities, magazine policies and procedures visit or call 2nd Vice President Kostas Tsiskakis at (917) Send chapter news, photos, stories, letters or advertising submissions to: EDITORIAL STAFF KM@PANCRETAN.ORG KPHTH MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO THE CRETAN LIFE ALEXA GANOS EXECUTIVE EDITOR alexa@kphth.org AMALIA DELIGIANNIS MANAGING EDITOR amalia@kphth.org EDITORIAL BOARD & ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHRYSSOULA BARBAS AMALIA LAGOUDAKI-KALOGRIDAKI ANNA ABBINANTE DESIGN EDITOR creative@kphth.org TINA KATSOUNAKIS HELEN RANNEY KPHTH (CRETE) USPS is published by the Pancretan Association of America (PAA) Inc., ten times a year. The annual rate is $20 member / $50 non-member / $80 international. Call to subscribe. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Erasmia C. Novotny, 8530 Sharon Drive, White Lake, MI Periodical Postage Paid at Waterford, MI and additonal mailing offices. Year 86th NO 858 September 2015 ELENI SALTAS KRI KRI EDITOR elenisaltas@gmail.com HELENE SEMANDERES ELPITHA TSOUTSOUNAKIS SCAN BARCODE TO VISIT OUR SITE CONTRIBUTORS KPHTH 3

4 ΠΕΡΙΕΧΟΜΕΝΑ OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SEPTEMBER CONTENTS OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SEPTEMBER President s Message Μήνυμα Προέδρου 5 Moving Forward 5 Πηγαίνοντας Μπροστά 6 Letters Γράμματα From the Board Νέα Συμβουλίου 7 On the Web 26 Μessage from Former Scholarship Chair Mia Boutzoukas 29 The PAA Mentor Program 32 Notes from PAA Auditor General 32 Ο Γενικός Ελεγκτής της ΠΕΑ πληροφορεί Profile Προφιλ 8 Συνέντευξη του Τάκη Ψαράκη, 31 ου Προἐδρου της ΠΕΑ 9 Interview with Panagiotis Psarakis, 31 st PAA President 33 Proodos Honors Evangelia Papamarkakis Cover Story Θέμα του Εξώφυλλου 10 44th Biennial PAA National Convention Special Report Ρεπορτάζ 15 Pancretan Association of America 44 th National Convention 16 Παγκρητική Ένωση Αμερικής, 44 ο Εθνικό Συνέδριο 17 PAA Benefactors 18 Η καρδιά της Κρήτης χτυπά στο Σολτ Λέικ Σίτυ! 19 Μαντινάδες 20 Κρητικά σταχυολογήματα 20 Cretan Reflections Photographs Φωτογραφίες 21 Salt Lake City Convention 22 KRI KRI ΚΡΙ ΚΡΙ Remembrance Μνήμη 26 Looking Back Scholarships Υποτροφίες 27 PAA Scholarship Recipients From Crete Νέα Από την Κρήτη 30 Ανταπόκριση από την Κρήτη 30 Correspondence from Crete 31 Πρώτη Επίσημη Επίσκεψη Guidelines Ειδικές Οδηγίες 34 KPHTH Magazine Guidelines for Articles and Chapter News From the District Νέα Από την Περιφέρεια 35 District 6 Update 36 Donations Δωρεές 37 Chapter News Νέα Συλλόγων 41 Events Εκδηλώσεις 42 KPHTH Media Kit PAA National Board Παγκρητική Ένωση Αμερικής Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο On the cover, seated (left to right): Christos Markakis, Theodore Manousakis, Eleftherios Dramitinos, Erasmia Novotny, Roxanne Koston, Panagiotis Psarakis, Kostas Tsiskakis, Xanthippi Gelasakis, Dr. James Saklas and Debbie Nikokavouras. Standing, left to right: Anthony Kounalis, Stacy Marakis, Helen Ranney, Haralambos (Bob) Markakis, Rema Manousakis, John Marakis, Iakovos (James) Boutzoukas, Vasilis Fourakis, Maria Stratoudakis, Georgia Tsismenakis, Kosta Pitaridis and George Tsoutsounakis. Not pictured: Stavros Antonakakis, John Vomvolakis, Maria Vamvakis, John Russon, George Papadantonakis and George Marnelakis. This month s cover and all Salt Lake City Convention photographs were taken by George Karahalios. Visit for more information about George s work. Keep up with the PAA! Post events and news at Facebook.com/pancretan! The New PAA Website is Live!! Please visit us again at The site is under work in progress status but you can still enjoy the new look and the information already there, as we strive to make it a complete source of PAA information. Members should also try and log-in to their member accounts and update their information. For questions, please contact IT Chair George Vomvolakis at gvomvolakis67@gmail.com. My thought goes out to my true love a million times a day No wonder it is tired out and can no longer stray. Aristidis Xeretis «Εκατομμύρια φορές πηγαίνει και γιαγέρνει η σκέψη μου στην αγαπώ, γι αυτό ναι κουρασμένη» Αριστείδης Χαιρέτης 4 KPHTH SEPTEMBER 2015 Give the Gift of KPHTH Magazine Call 2nd Vice President Kostas Tsiskakis at (917) for more information.

5 ΜΉΝΥΜΑ ΠΡΟΈΔΡΟΥ Moving Forward Panagiotis Psarakis PAA President This issue of KPHTH attempts to capture - in words and pictures - as much as possible from our convention to share the excellent Salt Lake City experience with those who were not able to attend, and to remind those who were there of the filoxenia of the people of Salt Lake and the great time they had. I am proud to say that, as you read this summary of the convention, your board has already hit the ground running. A new IT (Information Technology) committee has been formed to work on our website, our data base and all of PAA s media needs. Under the chairmanship of George Vomvolakis, this very knowledgeable team has been working hard to move us to a level our times demand. Please take a few minutes to read about their plans in this issue. We have made changes to the KPHTH Editorial board to create an improved, youthful and informative magazine. Two exciting programs have also started their implementation: the renewed Mentor program and the new PAA s Got Talent program. You will be hearing details about them very soon. I look forward to visiting many of you in the coming months. The focus of many of our initiatives is on providing our members and chapters what you need to grow and strengthen. I hope, as you hear about our plans, you ll want to become involved. Do not hesitate to contact me, our board members, or our committee chairs to find out more and offer your ideas to make our/your initiatives a great success! Πηγαίνοντας Μπροστά Αυτό το τεύχος του ΚΡΗΤΗ προσπαθεί να συλλάβει (με λόγια και εικόνες) όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερο από το Συνέδριό μας να μοιραστούμε την εξαιρετική εμπειρία του Σολτ Λέικ Σίτυ με όσους δεν μπόρεσαν να παρευρεθούν, και να υπευθυμίσει σε όσους ήταν εκεί την φιλοξενία των ανθρώπων του Σολτ Λέικ Σίτυ και πόσο ευχαριστήθηκαν. Είμαι υπερήφανος να πω, όπως διαβάζετε την περίληψη του Συνεδρίου, το Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο έχει ήδη ξεκινήσει με ενθουσιασμό τις εργασίες του. Μια νέα επιτροτή Πληροφορικής Εξυπηρέτησης έχει σχηματιστεί για να εργαστεί στην ιστοσελίδα μας, στη βάση δεδομένων και στις όλες ανάγκες των μέσων ενημέρωσης της ΠΕΑ. Υπό την προεδρία του Γεωργίου Βομβολάκη, αυτή η πολύ πεπειραμένη ομάδα έχει δουλέψει σκληρά για να μας φέρει στο επίπεδο που απαιτούν οι καιροί μας. Παρακαλείστε να αφιερώσετε λίγα λεπτά για να διαβάσετε σχετικά με τα σχέδια τους σε αυτό το τεύχος. Έχουμε κάνει τις αλλαγές στη Συντακτική Επιτροπή του ΚΡΗΤΗ για να δημιουργήσουμε ένα βελτιωμένο, ανανεωμένο και ενημερωτικό περιοδικό. Επίσης, δύο συναρπαστικά προγράμματα έχουν ξεκινήσει την εφαρμογή τους: το ανανεωμένο πρόγραμμα του Μέντορα και το νέο πρόγραμμα «ΠΕΑ Έχει Ταλέντο». Θα ακούσετε λεπτομέρειες για αυτά πολύ σύντομα. Ανυπομονώ να επισκεφτώ πολλούς από εσάς τους επόμενους μήνες. Το επίκεντρο πολλών πρωτοβουλιών μας είναι να παρέχουμε στα μέλη μας και στους συλλόγους ό,τι χρειάζονται για να αναπτυχθούν και να ενισχυθούν. Ελπίζω, όπως ακούτε για τα σχέδια μας, θα θελήσετε να συμμετέχετε. Μην διστάζετε να επικοινωνείτε μαζί μου, με τα μέλη του Διοικητικού Συμβουλίου ή με τους Προέδρους των Επιτροπών να μάθετε περισσότερα και να προσφέρετε τις ιδέες σας για να κάνετε τις πρωτοβουλίες μας/σας μια μεγάλη επιτυχία! PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Fraternally, Panagiotis Psarakis President Pancretan Association of America Με αδελφικούς χαιρετισμούς, Παναγιώτης Ψαράκης Πρόεδρος Παγκρητική Ένωση Αμερικής KPHTH 5

6 ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΑ LETTERS To: George Liodakis, District 5 Governor Maria Papadakis, Chapter President, Daughters of Minos Mary Papadakis, Chapter President, Minotavros George Tsoutsounakis, Chapter President Minos Because of your commitment to and support for the PAA, our 44th biennial convention in Salt Lake City was a resounding success. Having been District Governor and a part of the convention hosting committee, I empathize with you and your families, knowing how many hours you all invested in making our week in Salt Lake one we will never forget. Please extend my board s and my thanks to every member of our chapters in Salt Lake for everything you and they did to make this a successful convention for delegates, guests, and our youth. The feedback from all those with whom I have come in contact has been overwhelmingly positive. I am proud to have been elected President in a city and state that has such a rich Cretan heritage and where our members expressed their love of Crete and the PAA in everything they did for the dozens of chapters that came to share that love. Thank you all for an amazing week! Να είστε πάντα καλά εσείς και οι οικογένειές σας. Fraternally, Panagiotis Psarakis President Pancretan Association of America Special note to Maria Papadakis: Thank you for serving as PAA National Convention secretary for our convention. We appreciate your service. Dear Kosta Katsohirakis, (PAA National Convention Chair) Congratulations on hosting an outstanding convention. Under your direction, the team you assembled in Salt Lake City created a week of memories that will not be soon forgotten. On behalf of the entire Pancretan Board, thank you for all your efforts and those of your committee chairs and members for all the hard work, dedication, and the hospitality you extended to PAA delegates and guests from across the country. From the youngest attendee to the oldest, you created an environment where members and guests in every age group had fun, shared cultural experiences, rekindled old acquaintances, and forged new friendships. This convention in Salt Lake City, in fact, served as the perfect platform for our new administration s vision of creating a strong and healthy community of chapters. Thank you again for all your dedication and hard work. Fraternally, Panagiotis Psarakis President Pancretan Association of America Dear Mrs. Boutzoukas, would like to first and foremost tell you how thankful I am for I being chosen to receive money from the Pancretan Association of America Venizelion Scholarship from the Estate of George & Angela Paterakis and also from the Varouh Family in memory of Nicholas G. Varouh. What the PAA does is truly unbelievable and is so thoughtful. To be able to assist many people, including me, with funds to pursue a higher education is a blessing. I am incredibly honored to be one of the many candidates to receive a scholarship from the PAA. I plan on using this money to help fund my tuition at Georgia State University and pursue my major in business. Your monetary assistance will help me thrive in college and attain my hopes and dreams. I will carry with me throughout college my Cretan values and heritage, and will also remember those who helped me and hope to be able to assist others later in life. It is an honor to represent my Cretan lineage and have the ability to travel through college with continuous support from my fellow Cretans. Thank you again for your incredibly generous gift. Sincerely, Stephen Missailidis Dear Pancretan Association of America, am honored to have been awarded the Pancretan Venizelion Scholarship for the academic year, in honor I of and Ganakis-Vidalakis. May their memories be eternal. The funds awarded are being applied to my tuition at Colgate University. Thank you for your generosity in providing this scholarship, as it has been a tremendous help in furthering my education and helping me achieve my goals. Your scholarship award has enabled me to continue my undergraduate studies at Colgate. I am enjoying my college experience and have become involved in Club Soccer and a work study program at the university library. I plan on pursuing a career in economics, finance and computer science. I have been involved in the Cretan community throughout my youth and it has become a major part of who I am. I am very proud of my heritage, and I hope that with my success, I will be able to give back to my Hellenic community, as well as my Colgate family. This award has been very meaningful to me. Thank you again for your generosity and support, as you have given me the chance to receive a prestigious education and reach my full potential through exploring all the opportunities I have been provided with at Colgate. Thank you, Kyriakos Tomadakis Colgate University 18 6 KPHTH SEPTEMBER 2015

7 ΝΕΑ ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΙΟΥ On the Web New PAA Website provides members with more information George Vomvolakis IT Chair Welcome to the new Pancretan Association of America website, located at While still under construction, there are many functions and capabilities as it currently stands. These include: A website for each and every chapter in the PAA. While many of these areas are awaiting the submission of content from the chapters, it is nonetheless a new and exciting development that each chapter can have their own site at no cost to them. The About Us area is an exciting addition. Sections here include: The President s page. This will showcase the vision and activity of the PAA President. The World Council of Cretans. This will link you directly to the WCC page. Member Spotlight. This area will be used to highlight the accomplishments of our members and will be updated periodically. In Everlasting Memory. This page will be used to keep our departed members in our thoughts. The Programs section is not unlike the previous website with the exception that it either provides direct content or links directly to external websites. The Conventions sections act as both a look back to the previous convention and a look forward to the next. KPHTH Magazine is, as always, a prominent feature. Please note that this feature will become a members only feature in the near future. The Video section has much interesting content. Lyra Lesson videos History related videos Cretan Diet videos Travel videos Music videos. Here we hope to showcase new and exciting Cretan talent from all over the world. A Just for Laughs section with some comedy In addition to these features you can: Join the PAA from the website Link your Facebook account to your PAA account Donate to various PAA fundraising efforts. (This can be done as a onetime gift or an ongoing gift.) Check the events section, which will keep you informed, in real time, as to upcoming events across the country and in Greece. Functions and features in development include: A virtual showroom for artists and entertainers A product sales section where the PAA can sell its products directly to the public A travel section where you will be able to book any travel. A feature which will allow you to keep track of your favorite musicians scheduled appearances here and in Greece year round Blog pages which can be set up and hosted by any PAA member on any topic Live Streaming video from PAA events Event pages that will allow you to not only look up events but to also buy tickets and see what other members are planning on attending However, we still need your help. Please visit our website and log into your account. If you are not certain what your username and password are, please gvomvolakis67@gmail.com. The database is the heart of the system and needs to be updated with your current member information. These updates will go a long way in allowing us to customize the experience for you. The current IT committee members include: Katerina Makridakis, Stacy Marakis, Elpitha Tsoutsounakis, Angela Novotny, Chrysoula Tzortzakis, Terry Stratoudakis, Tom Lantzourakis, and me. I say current because we could always use your help and expertise. I hope you feel, as I do, that this is a very capable and exciting assemblage of talent who can produce a great result. FROM THE BOARD Angela Novotny Katzakis Katerina Makridakis Stacy Marakis Elipitha Tsoutsounakis Terry Stratoudakis Chrysoula Tsortzakis Tom Lantzourakis KPHTH 7

8 Left to right: Antonios Psarakis, PAA President Panagiotis Psarakis, Evangelia Psarakis, First Lady Esther Psarakis. Συνέντευξη του Τάκη Ψαράκη, 31 ου Προἐδρου της ΠΕΑ Μιλήστε μας για την οικογένειά σας Η σύζυγός μου, Έστερ και εγώ είμαστε παντρεμένοι για 27 χρόνια. Απασχολείται ως σύμβουλος τροφίμων και είναι η ιδιοκτήτης της εταιρείας τροφίμων «Γεύση της Κρήτης». Έχουμε δύο παιδιά, τον Αντώνη και την Ευαγγελία. Ο Αντώνης αποφοίτησε με το πτυχίο Βιοϊατρικής Μηχανικής (Biomedical Engineering) από το Πανεπιστήμιο του Ράτγκερς της Νέας Ιερσέης (Rutgers University, NJ) και τώρα εργάζεται στην εταιρεία Τζόνσον και Τζόνσον (Johnson & Johnson). Η Ευαγγελία, έλαβε το Δίπλωμα Μεταπτυχιακού Επιπέδου Μάστερ στην Εκπαίδευση (Master s in Education) επίσης από το Πανεπιστήμιο του Ράτγκερς της Νέας Ιερσέης (Rutgers University, NJ) και τώρα εργάζεται σε σχολείο της περιοχής. Στα 15 χρόνια υπηρεσίας μου στο Πολιτιστικό και Εκπαιδευτικό Τμήμα της ΠΕΑ και στον τοπικό Σύλλογο η οικογένεια μου ήταν πάντα στο πλευρό μου. Ο πατέρας μου, Παναγιώτης Ψαράκης, ο οποίος απεβίωσε το 1968, ήταν από τους Κοπετούς της επαρχίας Σελίνου του νομού Χανίων και η μητέρα μου, Ευαγγελία, το γένος Πρωτοπαπαδάκη, γεννήθηκε στο Επανωχώρι της ίδιας επαρχίας. Η γονείς μου έμεναν στην Παλαιοχώρα της επαρχίας Σελίνου όπου και γεννήθηκα το Η αδερφή μου, Ειρήνη Καλοψικάκη, μένει στις Αρχάνες του νομού Ηρακλείου, με τον γαμπρό μου Μανόλη και τις οικογένειες των παιδιών τους, Δημήτρη, Παναγιώτη και Ευαγγελία Χαρωνίτη. Πείτε μας για τον Σύλλογό σας Είμαι μέλος του Συλλόγου «Τα Λευκά Όρη» στο Χάϊλαντ Παρκ της Νέας Ιερσέης (Highland Park, NJ) για πολλά χρόνια. Είμαι μέλος του Διοικητικού Συμβουλίου από το 2001 και τα τελευταία 6 χρόνια διατελώ Πρόεδρός του. Ο Σύλλογος μας είναι πολύ δυναμικός με δυνατό προσανατολισμό στα πολιτιστικά και στα κοινά της παροικίας. Έχουμε εξαιρετικό και πολυμελές χορευτικό πρόγραμμα για το οποίο είμαστε πολύ υπερήφανοι. Επίσης έχουμε «Κρητικό Σπίτι», το οποίο είναι ο στυλοβάτης και η δύναμη έλξης των μελών μας. Ο μακαρίτης, Γιώργος Βαρδάκης, τέως Πρόεδρος της ΠΕΑ, ήταν μέλος του Συλλόγου μας. Ποια ήταν η συμμετοχή σας στην ΠΕΑ; Υπηρέτησα την ΠΕΑ στη θέση του Υπεύθυνου του Τμήματος Πολιτισμού και Εκπαίδευσης από το 2001 έως το 2011 υπό τρεις Προεδρίες: του κ. Σταύρου Σημαντήρη, κ. Εμμανουήλ Βεληβασάκη και κ. Θεόδωρου Μανουσάκη. Σπουδές Αποφοίτησα από το Λύκειο Αρχάνων του νομού Ηρακλείου και στη συνέχεια σπούδασα στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Πίζας στην Ιταλία από όπου το 1980 αποφοίτησα με το πτυχίο Πληροφορικής. Το 1984 έλαβα το Δίπλωμα Μεταπτυχιακού Επιπέδου Μάστερ στις Επιστήμες των Υπολογιστών (Master s in Computer Science) από το Ινστιτούτον Τεχνολογίας της Νέας Ιερσέης (New Jersey Institute of Technology). Μετά τις σπουδές μου επέστρεψα στην Ελλάδα όπου και εκπλήρωσα τις στρατιωτική μου θητεία στην Κρήτη, Αθήνα και Μυτηλήνη. Επάγγελμα Εργάζομαι από το 1988 στον κλάδο των τηλεπικοινωνιών στην εταιρεία Μπέλ Κομμιουνικέϊσσονς Ρησσέρτς [Bell Communications Research (Bellcore)] την οποία εξαγόρασε η σουηδική εταιρεία Έρικσον (Ericsson). Στόχοι Στα 15 συνολικά χρόνια υπηρεσίας μου στο Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο του Συλλόγου «Τα Λευκά Όρη» και της ΠΕΑ, είχα την ευκαιρία να ζήσω τις επιτυχίες, τις αγωνίες και τα προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζουν η ΠΕΑ και οι Σύλλογοί μας. Γι αυτό σκοπός μου είναι να συνεργαστώ με τους Συλλόγους για να αναβαθμίσουμε την Οργάνωση μας σε όλα τα επίπεδα. Οι Σύλλογοι είναι οι στυλοβάτες της ΠΕΑ που στηρίζουν τον 8 KPHTH SEPTEMBER 2015

9 ΠΡΟΦΙΛ πολιτισμό μας ανά την Αμερική. Γι αυτό και το μεγαλύτερο βάρος του Νέου Διοικητικού Συμβουλίου της ΠΕΑ είναι η βοήθεια, η αναζωογόνηση και ενδυνάμωση των Συλλόγων μας. Δίνουμε ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στη στενή και γόνιμη συνεργασία με την νεολαία μας προκειμένου να φέρουμε μαζί την Οργάνωση σε νέους ορίζοντες και νέες προοπτικές ενώ διατηρούμε ως κύρια χαρακτηριστικά τις αξίες του πολιτισμού μας και τη φιλανθρωπία. Η σύνδεση μας με την Κρήτη είναι ουσιώδης για την επιμόρφωση των παιδιών μας να είναι άξιοι συνεχιστές και γνώστες των ηθών, εθίμων και πολιτιστικών αξιών της πατρίδας μας. Είναι σημαντικό να φροντίσουμε όλοι, ξεχωριστά αλλά και συλλογικά, να επιτευχθεί αυτή η σύνδεση. Η νεολαία μας είναι το μέλλον των ιερών σκοπών μας και η στενή συνεργασία και ο σεβασμός μεταξύ μας θα είναι σημαντικό στοιχείο της πορείας μας. Νέα και τρέχοντα σπουδαία προγράμματα/πρωτοβουλίες στην παιδεία, πολιτισμό και ενημέρωση έχουν ήδη αρχίσει τις προεργασίες τους με κύριο σκοπό τον εμπλουτισμό των μελών μας και την έλξη νέων μελών. Η στενή συνεργασία, η ειλικρίνεια, η ομόνοια και ο σεβασμός είναι τα κύρια στοιχεία για τη στήριξη της Οργάνωσής μας, και πιστεύω ότι αν όλοι τα ασπαστούμε θα είμαστε σε θέση να φέρουμε και να στηρίξουμε την ΠΕΑ στο επίπεδο που οι καιροί απαιτούν. PROFILE Interview with Panagiotis Psarakis, 31 st PAA President Tell us about your family. My wife Esther and I have been married for 27 years. She is presently employed as a food consultant and is the owner of Taste of Crete. We have two children, Antonios and Evangelia. Antonios received his BS in biomedical engineering from Rutgers University in New Jersey, and currently works for Johnson & Johnson. Evangelia has her master s in elementary special education from Rutgers University and works at a local school. During the ten years that I worked for the PAA Cultural Committee, as well as 15 years on the local chapter board, my family has always been by my side. My father, Panayiotis, who passed away in 1968, was from Kopetoi, Selinou, and my mother, Evangelia Protopapadaki, is from Epanohori Selinou. My parents lived in Paleohora, Selinou, where I was born in My sister, Irene Kalopsikakis, lives in Arhanes, Irakliou, with her husband Manoli and their three children, Dimitris, Panayiotis, and Evangelia Haronitis and their families. Tell us about your chapter. I have been a member of the White Mountains chapter in Highland Park, New Jersey, for many years, on the board since 2001, and have served as president of our chapter since Our chapter is very active, with a strong emphasis on cultural and community affairs. We have a Cretan House, which provides us with strength and stability for our future. The late George Vardakis, former president of the PAA, was also a member of our chapter. What has been your participation in the PAA? From 2001 to 2011, I served the PAA as the culture and education chairman during three administrations: the presidencies of Stavros Semanderes, Emmanuel Velivasakis, and Theodore Manousakis, I believe that I did lay a strong foundation for future PAA cultural initiatives during my ten years as chairman. Education: I graduated from Arhanes High School in Crete, and then went to Italy to study at the University of Pisa, where, in 1980, I received a BS degree in computer science. In 1984, I graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a master s degree in computer science. Following my studies, I returned to Greece to serve in the army in Crete, Athens, and Mytilini. Career: From 1988 until the present time, I have been working in the telecommunications field for Bell Communications Research, which recently was bought by Ericsson. Goals: During my 15 years of serving the PAA and my chapter in various positions, I had the opportunity to see the successes, the concerns and the challenges that the PAA and its chapters experience. This is why my goal is to work with the same passion and determination to reenergize the organization. Our chapters are the pillars of the PAA that support our culture throughout America; thus, the primary goal of the PAA will be to help, energize, and strengthen them. Close cooperation with the youth is a must for us because that is the only way to bring the PAA to new horizons and prospects while maintaining our main characteristics: the values of culture and philanthropy. Our continual connection with Crete will also be a goal for us if we truly want to better educate ourselves and our children, as I believe it is the best way to strengthen our organization for the years to come. The youth is the undisputed future of our organization, and I promise close cooperation, respect and understanding to be the main elements moving forward. We all must come together for this common purpose. Our youth is our precious vision, and working closely with mutual respect and understanding will be our goal. New and existing programs and initiatives in education and culture have already begun with the main goal being the enrichment of our members and the attraction of new members to the chapters. Working closely together with sincerity and respect, we will be able to successfully bring PAA to the new levels that today s times demand. KPHTH 9

10 th Biennial PAA National Convention June 27, 2015 July 2, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah KOSTAS KATSOHIRAKIS, CHAIRMAN, 44TH BIENNIAL PAA NATIONAL CONVENTION The heart of Crete always beats in Salt Lake City, but it beat more strongly than ever from June 27th to July 2nd when over 1,000 Cretans and friends of Crete from across the United States gathered for the 44th Biennial Pancretan Association of America National Convention. The hugs and the kisses and the expressions of joy were heard throughout the lobby of the luxurious Little America Hotel as old friends reunited and new friendships were made. The Cretans of Salt Lake City, and specifically the host chapters of Minos, the Daughters of Minos and the Minotavros Youth, had made their goal very early on during the planning process to ensure that this convention would be remembered as one of the best ever as measured by attendance, community involvement, organization of the events, and fun. We don t think that anyone who spent this week in Salt Lake City and participated in the festivities would feel disappointed on any of those metrics! CONVENTION PREPARATIONS The preparations began shortly after Salt Lake City was unanimously voted at the 2011 Florida PAA Convention as the Manouso the Miner (@MinerManouso) PAA 44th National Convention is underway! Thank for joining us. #paaslc2015 pic.twitter.com/ydh0l1jvpl host site for the 2015 PAA Convention. The Executive Committee was led by Convention Chairman Kostas Katsohirakis, and included Vasili Lyhnakis, Sophie Petrogeorge, Manoli Sargetakis, and Elpitha Votsis. The extended organizing team consisted of Nick Varanakis, Elpitha Tsoutsounakis, Mike Varanakis, District 5 officers George Liodakis, Jim Fuskandrakis, and Artemis Vamianakis Lavelle, the three local chapter presidents George Tsoutsounakis, Maria Papadakis, and Mary Papadakis, as well as mentoring from our two honorary chairmen, Dr. Nick S. Vidalakis and Chris The PAA Registration Committee. Top row, left to right: Sophie Petrogeorge, Martha Makris and Eleni Manousakis. Sitting, left to right: MaryAnn Proestakis and Andrea Proestakis. Tsoutsounis. The planning and preparations for the convention had been underway for nearly four years. Another one of the convention goals had been to encourage broad participation from the entire Salt Lake City community. In advance of the official start of the convention, Chris and Nitsa Tsoutsounis started off the festivities at their home on Friday evening, June 26th, by hosting the out-of-towners who arrived early. Chris and Nitsa opened their home to over 100 people, including many locals. Everyone enjoyed a fantastic evening of food, fun and celebration under the crisp, clear evening stars in the shadows of the majestic Wasatch Mountains. 10 KPHTH SEPTEMBER 2015

11 ΘΕΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΕΞΩΦΥΛΛΟΥ The Denver dance troupe performs at the Cretan picnic at the Canyons Resort. No wonder the Salt Lake Cretans have such a reputation throughout the country for their hospitality and philoxenia! The Registration Packages were available on Friday afternoon and all day Saturday to the 625 people who had purchased them in advance of the convention. The packages were distributed under the capable direction of our Registration Chairperson MaryAnn Proestakis in the lobby of the Little America Hotel, the headquarters for our convention, and one of the finest Michelin 5-star hotels in Utah. Included with each Registration Package was a Welcome Bag that contained a couple of books, a Cretan CD, and local Utah-themed goodies. Brittany Limberakis (@BrittanyAML) Lift ride to start our day in Park City! Excited for the picnic! Canyons Resortinstagram. com/p/4e4awwi9gu/ SATURDAY EVENTS The official start of the Convention began Saturday afternoon with a press conference featuring Utah Governor Gary Herbert and Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker. The press conference was expertly directed by Mistress of Ceremonies Maria Shilaos from KSL Radio. Convention Chairman Kostas Katsohirakis opened the event and presented the Convention to the Governor and the Mayor on behalf of the Cretans of Salt Lake City. The dignitaries and press conference attendees heard how the history of the immigration of Greeks in Utah is closely connected with the history of the mines in Carbon County and Bingham Canyon. Kostas stressed that not only was the convention a celebration of the past, but was also to honor the accomplishments of all the Greeks in our local community today. We have built a beautiful Cathedral and community center in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City; we host one of the largest cultural events, the Greek Festival, in our state every year; and we have countless Greekowned businesses that help drive our entrepreneurial climate. As such, the theme of the convention was, Discover Your Past, Claim Your Future. The Governor and the Mayor each made remarks enthusiastically welcoming the convention attendees, and they both issued Declarations proclaiming June 27th through July 2nd as Pancretan Week in Utah and Salt Lake City. The press conference was widely covered by the local TV, radio and print media, thanks to the diligent efforts of Mike Varanakis and John Johnson. The tone for the convention was set by the Welcome Night glendi under the direction of Chairperson Georgia Tsoutsounis, the youngest person to ever chair a convention event. The Horosperitha was held at the Hellenic Memorial Building, which is located next door to our Holy Trinity Cathedral. As guests arrived, they were welcomed with tsikouthia, paximathia and kaltsounia. That was just the start, as over 25 different dishes were served all night long, including staka, Haniotiko boureki and gardoumia, to mention just a few, thanks to our talented PAA members from across the country find ancestors at the cemetery in Price, Utah. Cretan cooks. The celebration was kicked off with balotes and welcome mantinathes. Two traditional Rizitika songs were performed by Jeff Chipian, Andrew Katsohirakis, Steven Katsohirakis, Vasili Lyhnakis, Chris Metos, Pete Saltas, and Niko Vamianakis. The glendi rocked all night long with kefi and excitement. The musicians for the convention from Crete, George Pantermakis, Haris Pantermakis and Dimitri Tsourtos, provided entertainment late into the evening, and the dance performances were from the local KriKri and Minotavros dance groups. The Welcome Night was sponsored in part through donations raised from the Cretans of Salt Lake City. Cultural Events Κατερίνα (@catderr) Thankful for #PAASLC2015 #ZhtoHKphth Besides all the fun and festivities, the convention committee coordinated closely with PAA to provide several cultural opportunities for the delegates and guests. These included the Cultural Program on Tuesday that was led by PAA Cultural Committee Chair Bob Markakis, which featured a memorable tribute honoring the life and music of two prominent Cretan musical legends, Harilaos Piperakis and Nikos Xylouris. Over 500 people attended this touching and emotional presentation. The luncheon for the Cultural Program was organized by Kathy Fuskandrakis and Christy Zervos-Tatum. Additionally, an amazing Archive Exhibit was set up and managed all week by Erasmia Novotny, George Tsoutsounakis, and Dimitri Gerontis. This was the second time that an Archive Room has been set up at a National Convention, building on the work that Erasmia pioneered at the 2013 Akron Convention. This was an enormous and worthy effort. All of the convention attendees were absolutely amazed at the array of items on display that were donated from Cretans around the country, including magazines, posters, pictures, convention pins, linens and blankets. Finally, on Wednesday afternoon, a Cooking demonstration was conducted by Nitsa Tsoutsounis and Maria Vamianakis. COVER STORY KPHTH 11

12 Guests at Welcome Night. Standing from left to right: Koula Xenakis, Fay Lambrakos, Helene Malegiannakis, Stella Tsismenakis, Chrysoula Kapassakis and Costa Kapassakis. Seated from left to right: Manoli Xenakis, John Lambrakos, Michael Malegiannakis and Artemios Tsismenakis. SUNDAY EVENTS Sunday, June 28, was a busy day! Most of the activities that day took place at the world-class Canyons Ski Resort. The resort is located 45 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, and was the headquarters of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. For those 60 golfers who were able to get up early after the all-night Welcome Night party, they had an 8:00 a.m. tee time at the brand new Canyons Golf course. The golfers enjoyed a course that was challenging and enjoyable, and characterized by memorable shots with dramatic views from virtually every hole. The Golf Tournament was chaired by Tony Gianoulis and Ted Makris. The Sunday outdoor Liturgy at the Canyons Resort was officiated by Fr. Elias Koucos, with the choir directed by Paul Maritsas and George Miller. Right after the Liturgy, our guests were treated to frappes coffee, paximathia, and koulourakia. That was a nice segue to the hearty buffet lunch that was organized by Picnic Chairperson Katina Moutsos and co-chair John Lyhnakis. Dance performances took place by the dance groups from Florida, Chicago and Denver. From the 7,500- foot elevation at the base of the resort, the air was crisp, and Youth Events The Youth Events throughout the convention were very well attended, suitable for all ages, and led by co-chairmen Pete Saltas and Chris Metos. On Saturday, the youth cooled off and soaked up the Utah sun while they enjoyed pizza at the Grand America Garden Pool. On Sunday, the Youth attended a full day of fun at the Canyon Resort Picnic, and then headed off to the Jupiter Bowl, an ultra-modern entertainment center in Park City. They had a lot of fun bowling, playing pool and arcade games, all while being surrounded by the best multi-screen audio/video music and sports viewing. On Monday, the youth went to the Lagoon Amusement Park where there were thrilling rides and attractions, Lagoon-A- Beach Waterpark, historic Pioneer Village, musical entertainment, and beautiful grounds. Non-stop fun all day long! On Wednesday, the youth continued their adventures with a Samaria Day Hike at Donut Falls, one of Utah s most popular recreation areas. The scent of pines and the colors of the wildflowers were amazing and the views were stupendous! the view was breathtaking. Several of our guests exclaimed that it was like being in the Lefka Orie our version of Crete in Utah. Suffice it to say that we all now know what it is like to take a Cabriolet ride! For those brave enough to take the Gondola to the top of 10,500 foot elevation, the scenic views were breathtaking. A short hike from the gondola lift to the lake with paddle boats offered more entertainment for everyone. On Sunday evening, after returning from the Canyons Resort, we were treated to a Western Night themed Cretan Alumni Network (CAN) party under the leadership of Chairman Bill Sergakis. The cowboy hats, the mechanical bull, and the music by DJ V (Mike Varanakis) provided entertainment all night long. The CAN event took place at the Infinity Center, right across the street from the Little America Hotel. The Infinity Center was also the site of Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday Late Night celebrations during the convention under the leadership of Chris Tsoutsounakis. Late Night is actually an understatement, as most of the party goers, young and old alike, actually walked back to their hotel rooms most of those mornings just as the sun was starting to rise! The Pantermakia musicians were amazing and deserve special accolades as they played throughout Eleni Saltas (@elenisaltas) This week has made me more proud of my culture than I ever have been. Thanks for burning a wonderful fire & love for Greece #PAASLC2015 the convention. Their kefi and smiles provided so much excitement for everyone to dance non-stop to their music. MONDAY EVENTS On Monday morning three buses loaded with 130 of our convention guests made the 120 mile one-way journey to the heart of Carbon County, Utah. The Price Excursion was organized by Chairmen Andrew Hillas and Steve Hillas. Chaperones Kostas Katsohirakis, Manoli Sargetakis, and Kostas Vamianakis led heartfelt renditions of Kretan Karaoke and a few Cretan jokes on the buses to pass the time. Our first stop was the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Price, Utah. The Memorial Service at the church to commemorate our departed protopori miners was officiated by Fr. Brendan Pelphrey. A great lunch was served immediately thereafter in the adjoining church hall, and the gathering was addressed by State Senator Brad King, and Price Councilman Layne Miller. We continued the excursion with a visit to the Price Cemetery where we paid our respects to the 800+ Cretan miners buried there, followed by a quick stop at the Western Mining and Railroad Museum in Helper. Through the generosity of the Price Excursion participants, we raised over $2,500 for the church in Price! 12 KPHTH SEPTEMBER 2015

13 ΘΕΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΕΞΩΦΥΛΛΟΥ Monday night was the Cretan Night Horesperitha chaired by George Tsoutsounakis and co-chaired by Xanthi Athousakis, and Sifi Sifantonakis. As soon as we walked into the Holy Trinity Memorial building, we were amazed by the stunning setting of the family-style dinner tables that resembled the many panigiria that many of us have been to in Crete. The food was served all night long, replete with horta, fava, stefatho of local game, and many other delicacies thanks to the great work of our Cretan cooks. The dancing and music went on all night long. The dance groups that performed that night included California (District 6), Denver, Chicago, Florida, and the Salt Lake City senior Minotavros group. The homemade wine by Jim Fuskandrakis and tsikouthia commemorative gift bottles by Jim Sifantonakis kept the glendi going into the wee hours of the morning. The hand-sewn sakoulia that were each individually made by Marika Vamianakis and Xanthi Anthousakis were gifts that our guests took home in remembrance of the convention. Just when we thought we had seen it all, we were treated to traditional late night psito arni, pilafi, kefalakia, and hohlious! From left to right: Former PAA President John Sargetis, Keynote Speaker Eleni Kounalakis, Mistress of Ceremonies for the Grand Banquet Laura Evans-Manatos, PAA Convention Chairman Kostas Katsohirakis and George Adondakis at the Grand Banquet. TUESDAY EVENTS The Utah Cultural Center was the venue for the Tuesday evening event, AXIA Night, Celebrating Cretan Women, which was chaired by Roula Sargetakis and Orie Kambouris. The combination indoor/outdoor setting was ideally suited for a perfect night of fun for the entire family! The beautiful displays of the Cretan Women Wall of Fame was a touching remembrance of Eleni Saltas (@elenisaltas) You know you re Greek when: you re casually carving into lamb heads #PAASLC2015pic.twitter. com/zrl9vpt24o many worthy women. After PAA President John Sargetis made his opening comments, he was followed by former PAA Women s Executive Director Carol Travayakis, who elaborated on the important role of Cretan women. Two PAA women were honored that evening, Helene Mousouraki-Nakis and Joanna Frangedis. Once the formal part of the evening was over and dinner was served, our guests thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment that was there for all ages. The Vegas-style casino tables with drachmas turned a few of our lucky guests into paper-millionaires after a few hours at blackjack or roulette! Our lyra and laouto entertainment that evening was performed by our very own Cretan-American musicians, including Dino Dourountoudakis, Nikos Hatzis, Stelios Katzakis, Aleko Marmatakis, Tony Marmatakis, Pavli Papadakis, Thomas Papadakos, and Nikoli Semanderes. WEDNESDAY S GRAND BANQUET The Wednesday night Grand Banquet event was held at the Little America Hotel and was chaired by Nick Varanakis. The setting was elegant and was exquisitely decorated by the Grand Banquet Committee, and the dinner was an outstanding combination of surf and turf. The Master/ Mistress of Ceremonies duo of George Adondakis and Laura Evans Manatos kept the program moving along at a crisp pace, with just the right blend of humor. We saw outstanding video tributes to Sam A. Kounalis and John N. Maragakis, two local PAA leaders Brittany Limberakis (@BrittanyAML) Can we please go back to this week of nothing but good food, family, and adventures? instagram.com/p/4ztaoxi9cq/ who had also served as senior National PAA Officers. The video tributes were followed by remarks from PAA President John Sargetis. Our Keynote Speaker was Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis, former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary. Eleni discussed the tumultuous current events related to Greece, and the harsh media coverage the country and its people have received. The National PAA Grand and Great Benefactors were recognized by PAA First Vice President John Vomvolakis, while Kostas Katsohirakis recognized the Convention Benefactors. The formal program concluded with an outstanding performance by the National PAA dance group. District 7 Governor James Boutzoukas, Former Scholarship Chair Mia Boutzoukas, 45th PAA Convention Co-Chair Diane Kounalakis- Baxter, and Cretan Alumni Network Chair Stacy Marakis. COVER STORY KPHTH 13

14 ΘΕΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΕΞΩΦΥΛΛΟΥ COVER STORY FAREWELL NIGHT The Farewell Night Horesperitha was held on Thursday at the Hellenic Memorial Building and chaired by Michael S. Katsanevas. This final gathering and celebration provided one more opportunity for out-of-town guests and local friends and family to get together one more time to laugh and share stories and memories from long ago and to recount the new memories made together that week. Once again the food that was prepared by yet another team of our Cretan cooks that evening was outstanding and plentiful all night long. Newly elected President Panagiotis Psarakis and the new PAA/PYA Board were sworn in, and consistent with our prior convention customs, the new officers led the first dance of the evening. The dancing and festivities continued throughout the evening and into the morning hours. In fact, since no one wanted the fun to end, the glendi simply continued throughout the morning, From left to right: Former PAA Presidents John Manos and Emmanuel Elliott, Convention Parliamentarian John Elliott, Treasurer James Saklas and former PAA President John Sargetis during the Canyon Ski Resort Picnic. Dancing and celebrating during the Cretan Night event. The Salt Lake City Convention Benefactors. and together with the musicians, we just moved from the Memorial Building without interruption right into the Little America hotel lobby until well past sunrise! We would never have been able to accomplish all that we did without the many volunteers from the community who worked together to make the convention a great success. Together, we exceeded all our expectations, and we thank them for their hard work. Because of their dedication, we enjoyed a memorable convention. We are especially proud of the 625 Registration Packages that were sold in advance of the convention. This number far exceeded the Registration Packages that had been sold at any convention in recent memory, and included specially priced senior packages, as well as child packages for those 12 years and under. The convention was affordable for all, and a family-oriented event that was made possible in part through the generous support of our Convention benefactors and sponsors. The convention on-line tools and registration were developed by Mike Varanakis and our Creative Direction and Designer Elpitha Tsoutsounakis. These capabilities helped us stay organized and helped us to efficiently process registrations. Elpitha also managed all of the branding for the convention, ensuring a consistent look-and-feel in all of our marketing literature. The on-line registration process not only enabled us to offer advance registration, but also allowed us to manage the last minute reservations that were processed so efficiently by Elpitha Votsis. The lanyards helped our guests network, enhanced in-person introductions, and simplified the admission process to all of the events. Finally a special acknowledgement to a few of the volunteers that ensured certain operations ran so smoothly throughout the entire Convention. Bill Zoomadakis leadership was instrumental in the operation of the Bar/Liquor sales and for making sure that we stayed compliant with Utah state liquor laws. Transportation Co-Chairmen John Sargetakis and Mike Vardakis facilitated the movement of all of our guests from one venue to another, and made sure no one was left behind or waited in line long for a ride. Katina Sifantonakis and Soula Lyhnakis and the Salt Lake City Cretan ladies orchestrated the creation of all the pastries, as well as the traditional Cretan sweets including paximathia, kouloures, koulourakia, and xerotigana. 14 KPHTH SEPTEMBER 2015